Mixing taps

ABSTRACT

Improvements in mixing water taps, comprising two similar closure members, one member being keyed in the tap body while the other member is keyed inside a distributor core rotatably mounted in the tap body. The improvements relate especially to the provision of a spigot member permitting total modulation of the mixed water delivered by the tap, and also to the arrangement of nonreturn valves which prevent undesired flow from one of the inlet pipes to the other.

United States Patent Bernard Genln 137 Rue du Chemin Vert, Paris lle, France [21] App1.No. 861,308

[72] Inventor [22] Filed Sept. 26, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [32] Priority May 22, 1969 [33] France [3 l 6,916,636

[54] MIXING TAPS 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 137/6373, 137/607, 137/614.16, 137/625.4,251/208 [51] 1nt.Cl Fl6k 11/02 [50] 137/606,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,139,162 5/1915 Chapman 251/209 X 1,674,743 6/1928 Rudolf..... 251/209 X 2,902,253 9/1959 Page 251/209 1,852,123 4/1932 Lutsky 137/625.2l X 2,893,429 7/1959 Schaffer 137/625.41 3,144,048 8/1964 Acker et a1. 137/625.41 3,472,283 10/1969 Christiansen 137/607 X Primary Examiner-Robert G. Nelson Attorney-Young & Thompson ABSTRACT: Improvements in mixing water taps, comprising two similar closure members, one member being keyed in the tap body while the other member is keyed inside a distributor core rotatably mounted in the tap body. The improvements relate especially to the provision of a spigot member permitting total modulation of the mixed water delivered by the tap, and also to the arrangement of nonreturn valves which prevent undesired flow from one of the inlet pipes to the other.

PATENTED DEC 7197:

SHEET 1 [IF 2 MIXING TAPS Mixing cocks or taps are already known which comprise, between a hot water inlet pipe, a cold water inlet pipe and a common outlet pipe, a mixing chamber controlled by two similar closure members brought together along carefully polished contact faces, the said closure members each comprising on the one hand a central passage, facing each other and coupled to the outlet pipe, and on the other hand, two peripheral passages each for coupling to one of the inlet pipes, one of the closure members being rotatably mounted with respect to the other about the axis of the said central passages, under the control of an operating device employed by the user.

This arrangement advantageously results in forms of construction which are particularly compact and economic.

The present invention has for its object various improvements in mixing taps or cocks of this type, some of these improvements permitting these taps to be provided with additional equipment without increasing their overall volume and size, while others permit the flow characteristics to be improved for the same overall size.

These improvements, which may be applied equally well to taps of the kind fitted on a washbasin or a sink and to taps of the kind fitted on baths, are especially directed to:

The interposition between the mixing chamber and the outlet pipe of an additional cock casing which, under the control of a second operating device coaxial with the first, enables the flow rate delivered by the tap to be modulated, especially in the case of mixed water;

The provision inside the mixing chamber of two nonreturn valves, each respectively associated with the peripheral passages of the closure members, so as to compensate for the effects of a possible relative depression in one of the inlet pipes with respect to the other, which could result in undesirable discharge into this inlet pipe of the water coming through the other;

and a particular shaping of the passages of the closure members for the purpose, on the one hand of increasing the maximum possible flow rate and on the other hand of increasing the possible flow rate of mixed water when half of this mixed water is constituted by hot water and half by cold water, at the same time respecting a predetermined mixing law, made as linear as possible as a function of the relative angle of rotation of one closure member with respect to the other.

The characteristic features and advantages of the invention will be further brought out in the description which follows below, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in exploded perspective, with local cross sections of a mixing tap according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in exploded perspective of the distributor core of this tap and of the elements with which this distributor core is equipped;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cock casing associated with the said distributor core;

F 16. 4 is a view in vertical cross section of this distributor core alone;

FlG. 5 is a partial plan view to a different scale of a closure member;

FIG. 6 is a partial view in transverse section to a larger scale of this closure member, taken along the line VV of FIG. 4.

The mixing tap according to the invention comprises a body 10 in which is formed a cylindrical housing 11. The internal wall of this housing 11 is provided at its free extremity with a threaded portion 12. This housing 11 is extended into the interior of the body 10 by a chamber 13 intended to receive in succession a spacing plate 14 and a closure member 15.

The closure member 15 is simply formed by a cylindrical disc pierced with a circular central passage 16 and with two peripheral passages 17 and 18, and is keyed inside the chamber 13 by the set of lateral lugs 19 engaged in the corresponding cutout grooves formed in the peripheral wall of the chamber 13.

The spacing plate 14 comprises a central passage (not visible in the drawing) and six peripheral passages 20 each intended to support a toric sealing joint (not shown in the drawing).

To the rear of the spacing plate 14, the body 10 comprises a central passage 21 and six identical peripheral passages 22, 23A, 23B, 24, 25A and 25B respectively, each facing a passage of the spacing plate. The central passage 21 communicates with a common outlet pipe 26, the passages 22, 23A and 23B communicate with a hot water inlet pipe 27 and the passages 24, 25A and 25B communicate with a cold water inlet pipe 28.

These communications can be effected either through bores at the internal diameters of the inlet pipes, which is the case for the passages 22 and 24 in correspondence with the passages 17, 18 of the closure member 15, or through bores having smaller diameters, which is the case for the passages 23A, 23B, 25A, 258, which are established in angular sectors for which the closure member 15 is not provided with any passage.

ln contact with the closure member 15 is applied a similar closure member 29 having identically the same cutout form, a central passage 30 superimposed on the central passage 16 of the closure member 15, and two peripheral passages 31 and 32.

In the form of embodiment shown, the closure members 15 and 29 are identically the same, and are associated by turning, along carefully polished faces.

One of these members, the closure member 15, is shown in part by way of example in FIGS. 5 and 6. The carefully polished face 33A by which it is joined face to face with the other closure member is the front face of FIG. 5, while the other face 338 is at the rear. Whereas the central passage 16 is cylindrical, that is to say its outlets 16A, 168 on the faces 33A, 33B are equal circles, the passages 17, 18 are flared outwards from the face 33B to the face 33A. On the face 33B, the outlets 17B, ]l8B of these passages are equal circles having a smaller diameter than that of the central passage 16, and their centers form a very open angle A with the center of the central passage. On the other hand, on the face 33A, the outlets 17A, 18A of the passages 17, 18 are polygons which are entirely circumscribed on the circles 17B, 18B, and their two extreme sides are radial sides, that is to say passing through the center of the central passage 16; furthermore, for each peripheral passage 17, 18, one of these radial sides passes through the center of the other peripheral passage 18, 17.

The closure member 29 is angularly fixed by a set of radial lugs 34 engaging in a distributor core 35 which is rotatably mounted in the housing 11 of the body 10.

This core 35 comprises an internal annular chamber 36 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) known as the mixing chamber, formed round a smaller axial bore 37 facing the passages 31 and 32 of the closure member 29. This chamber 36 is in turn surrounded by an annular groove 38 intended to receive a ring-type sealing joint (not shown).

On the bottom of the chamber 36 is fixed an elastic blade 40 having a generally semicircular form, a tubular spacer 39 being interposed between the blade and the bottom. This blade 40, fixed at its central portion thus has two deformable branches 41, 42 on each side of this central zone and these elastic branches 41, 42 have enlarged extremities 43, 44 which respectively face the passages 17, 18 of the closure member 29. They are intended to serve as nonreturn valves.

The axial bore 37 is extended to make contact with the clo sure member 29 which is shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, and is provided laterally with two diametrically opposite slots 45, 46, through which it communicates with the chamber 36. Its axial channel which is provided with a shoulder 47, serves as a housing for a cock casing 48, shown separately in FIG. 3.

The spigot 48 which has the same internal diameter as the bore 37 and which has a diametral slot 49, corresponding to the slots 45, 46 of the said bore, is extended by a square operating shaft 50 intended to project to the exterior of the distributor core 35 (F 1G. 1).

On its outer face, this core has a shoulder 51 surrounding a section 52 of smaller diameter, around which are successively engaged a friction washer 53, a locking washer 54 and a ring nut 55 intended to cooperate with the internal thread 12 of the body so as to hold the assembly inside the said body. The locking washer 54 is provided with two radial lugs 57 for its angular keying in the body 10, and its internal periphery comprises two oblique diametrically opposite bearing surfaces 58. These surfaces are intended to cooperate in abutment with the bottom of transverse slots 59 which are provided symmetrically on the section 52 of the distributor core 35, on each side of its axis, for the purpose of angular limitation of the rotation of this distributor core inside the body 10.

On the distributor core 35, an operating lever 61 is fixed by means of screws 60, the lever having a cutaway portion 62. This portion 62 is engaged on a diametral ridge 63 of the distributor core 35 and allows the square operating shaft 50 of the spigot 48 to project.

On this square shaft 50 is engaged and fixed an operating knob 64, the internal face of which is provided with an annular groove 65 shut off by a radial partition or bar 66. This partition is intended to cooperate with the heads of the screws 60 for the angular limitation of the rotation of the operating knob 64 with respect to the lever 61, that is to say of the spigot 48 with respect to the distributor core 35.

As has already been stated above, the closure members 15, 29 are associated by turning. This turning is efiected by rotation through 180 of one of these members with respect to a line passing on the one hand through the center of its central passage and on the other hand through the center of one ofits peripheral passages. This is suggested in FIG. 5, in which the passage 32 of the closure member 29 has been shown in broken lines, the passages 30 and 31 of this member being assumed to be respectively superimposed on the passages 16 and 17 of the closure member 15.

This position corresponds to the case in which the tap delivers hot water for example and at maximum flow rate if the diametral slot of the spigot 48 is in alignment with the slots 45, 46 of the core 35. The path of this hot water is then as follows: pipe 27, passage 22, peripheral passage 20, passages 17 and 31, mixing chamber 36, slots 45 and 46, slot 49, passages 30 and 16, central passage 20, passage 21 and pipe 26.

This position has naturally been preceded by a rotation of the lever 61 in the direction corresponding to that of the arrow 70 of FIG. 5, during the course of which rotation, starting from zero flow rate, the passage 31 of the closure member 29 is progressively superimposed on the passage 17 of the closure member 15.

For the maximum delivery position of hot water explained above, the passages 18 and 32 are tangential (see FIG. 5). From then, if the rotation of the operating lever 61 is continued, cold water is introduced into the mixing chamber over the following path: pipe 28, passage 24, peripheral passage 20, passages 18 and 32. At the same time, the quantity of hot water introduced is reduced due to the progressive closure of the passage 17 of the closure member by the closure member 29. There is therefore delivered a mixture of hot and cold water.

It should be noted:

that in the case of the form of embodiment shown, the total flow of water delivered by the tap remains unchanged during a mixture of this water; the flow of cold water introduced exactly compensates for the reduced flow ofhot water;

that the total flow rate is not limited by the central passages 16, 30, the diameters ofwhich are greater than those of the associated peripheral passages;

that by virtue of the delimitation of the peripheral passages 19, 18, 31, 32 by radial sides, the mixture of the water is definite, and it is thus possible to give it a linear relation as a function of the angle of rotation of the lever 61, it being understood that any other relation could be obtained if desired by modifying accordingly the outlets of these peripheral passages;

that for a medium mixture, that is to say for an equal mixture of hot and cold water, the flaring of the peripheral passages 17, 18, 31, 32 makes it possible to obtain, all other conditions being equal, a total flow greater than that obtained with simple cylindrical passages;

that the maintenance of circular outlets for the peripheral passages of the fixed closure member 15, on the rear face of this latter, advantageously simplifies the nature and the placing in position of the associated sealing joints;

and that, at the same time, the similar maintenance of circular outlets on the corresponding face of the rotating closure member 29 advantageously permits the total identity of this member with the fixed closure member and in consequence, the manufacture can be effected in an economical manner with the same equipment.

If the rotation of the operating lever 61 is further continued, the water delivered becomes increasingly cold until it becomes completely cold when the passages 18 and 32 are exactly superimposed; beyond this point, there is a gradual reduction of the flow rate delivered by the tap until the flow completely stops.

As will have been understood, the spigot 48 actuated by the knob 64 enables the flow delivered by the tap to be modulated, especially in the case of mixed water. In fact, this spigot makes it possible to reduce and even to cut off, except for leakage, the communication between the mixing chamber 36 and the central passages 30, 16 ofthe closure members.

Furthermore, and as will also have been understood, if an inlet pipe 27, 28 happens to be in depression with respect to the other during the flow of mixed water, the corresponding extremity 43, 44 of the elastic blade 40 becomes applied against the corresponding passages 31, 32 of the closure member 15 and thus prevents any undesirable delivery into this pipe of water of opposite nature.

With regard to the passages 23A, 2313, 25A, 25B, these have the purpose of applying a suitable pressure force against the rear face of the fixed closure member.

It will of course be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form of embodiment described and shown, but includes any alternative form of construction, especially as concerns the outlets of the peripheral passages of the closure members, which could all be other than circular, in which case the closure members may no longer be identical.

What I claim is:

1. in a mixing tap of the type comprising a first inlet pipe for hot water and a second inlet pipe for cold water, and a common outlet pipe, a mixing chamber, and control means including two similar closure members having polished surfaces in engagement with one another, each closure member having a central passage, said passages being in alignment with one another and in communication with the outlet pipe, and each closure member also having two peripheral passages, one of said peripheral passages of each closure member being for communication with the first inlet pipe and the other of said peripheral passages of each closure member for communication with the second inlet pipe, one of said closure members being rotatably mounted about the axis of its said central passage, and first rotatable actuating means for controlling the positioning of the said one of said closure members and thereby the mixture of hot and cold water, the improvement comprising: spigot means for controlling the rate of flow to the outlet pipe and disposed between the mixing chamber and said outlet pipe, and second rotatable actuating means for controlling the position of said spigot means and thereby the rate of flow of mixed water to the outlet pipe, the axis of rotation of the second actuating means coinciding with the axis of rotation of the first actuating means, the inlet and outlet pipes being connected to a fixed body, one of said closure members being fixed to the fixed body, the other of said closure members being mounted for rotation with a distributor core which is rotatably mounted in said body, the first actuating means being connected to control the rotatable position of the distributor core, the mixing chamber being formed between the distributor core and the said other of said closure members around an axial bore which extends to the said other of said closure members and concentric with the central passage therein, at least one lateral slot connecting the axial bore for communication with said mixing chamber, said spigot means being rotatably mounted in said bore and including a transverse groove for bringing the slot into communication with the last-named central passage,

2. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein two nonreturn valves are disposed in said mixing chamber, each valve being associated with one of the peripheral passages of said other of the closure members.

3. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said nonreturn valves are formed by the free end portions of a resiliently deformable blade fixed at its middle portion to said distributor core, the end portions of the blade facing the peripheral passages of said other of the closure members and having surface areas greater than the cross sections of said passages.

4. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distributor core comprises a transverse annular bearing surface disposed between a part of larger diameter and a part of smaller diameter projecting from the larger part, said distributor core being held axially in said body by a ring nut surrounding said part of smaller diameter and threadedly engaging said body, and wherein a locking ring fixed to the body and a friction washer are disposed between the ring nut and said annular portion of the distributor core.

5. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the internal contour of said locking ring has oblique bearing surfaces, and wherein the part of smaller diameter of said distributor core has transverse grooves adapted to abut against said oblique bearing surfaces.

6. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rotatable actuating means is a lever, and screws fixing the lever to said distributor core, said second rotatable actuating means comprising a knob having a radial bar abutting against said screws.

7. In a mixing tap ofthe type comprising a first inlet pipe for hot water and a second inlet pipe for cold water, and a common outlet pipe, a mixing chamber, and control means including two similar closure members having polished surfaces in engagement with one another, each closure member having a central passage, said passages being in alignment with one another and in communication with the outlet pipe, and each closure member also having two peripheral passages, one of said peripheral passages of each closure member being for communication with the first inlet pipe and the other of said peripheral passages of each closure member for communication with the second inlet pipe, one of said closure members being rotatably mounted about the axis of its said central passage, and first rotatable actuating means for controlling the positioning of the said one of said closure members and thereby the mixture of hot and cold water, the improvement comprising: spigot means for controlling the rate of flow to the outlet pipe and disposed between the mixing chamber and said outlet pipe, and second rotatable actuating means for controlling the position of said spigot means and thereby the rate of flow of mixed water to the outlet pipe. the axis of rotation of the second actuating means coinciding with the axis of rotation of the first actuating means, the two peripheral passages of each closure member having polygonal outlets on at least one of the faces of said closure member, each of said outlets being delimited by two sides disposed along radial lines extending from the center of the central passage, one of said sides of each outlet passing through the center of the other outlet. 

1. In a mixing tap of the type comprising a first inlet pipe for hot water and a second inlet pipe for cold water, and a common outlet pipe, a mixing chamber, and control means including two similar closure members having polished surfaces in engagement with one another, each closure member having a central passage, said passages being in alignment with one another and in communication with the outlet pipe, and each closure member also having two peripheral passages, one of said peripheral passages of each closure member being for communication with the first inlet pipe and the other of said peripheral passages of each closure member for communication with the second inlet pipe, one of said closure members being rotatably mounted about the axis of its said central passage, and first rotatable actuating means for controlling the positioning of the said one of said closure members and thereby the mixture of hot and cold water, the improvement comprising: spigot means for controlling the rate of flow to the outlet pipe and disposed between the mixing chamber and said outlet pipe, and second rotatable actuating means for controlling the position of said spigot means and thereby the rate of flow of mixed water to the outlet pipe, the axis of rotation of the second actuating means coinciding with the axis of rotation of the first actuating means, the inlet and outlet pipes being connected to a fixed body, one of said closure members being fixed to the fixed body, the other of said closure members being mounted for rotation with a distributor core which is rotatably mounted in said body, the first actuating means being connected to control the rotatable position of the distributor core, the mixing chamber being formed between the distributor core and the said other of said closure members around an axial bore which extends to the said other of said closure members and concentric with the central passage therein, at least one lateral slot connecting the axial bore for communication with said mixing chamber, said spigot means being rotatably mounted in said bore and including a transverse groove for bringing the slot into communication with the last-named central passage.
 2. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein two nonreturn valves are disposed in said mixing chamber, each valve being associated with one of the peripheral passages of said other of the closure members.
 3. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said nonreturn valves are formed by the free end portions of a resiliently deformable blade fixed at its middle portion to said distributor core, the end portions of the blade facing the peripheral passages of said other of the closure members and having surface areas greater than the cross sections of said passages.
 4. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distributor core comprises a transverse annular bearing surface disposed between a part of larger diameter and a part of smaller diameter projecting from the larger part, said distributor core being held axially in said body by a ring nut surrounding said part of smaller diameter and threadedly engaging said body, and wherein a locking ring fixed to the body and a friction washer are disposed between the ring nut and said annular portion of the distributor core.
 5. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the internal contour of said locking ring has oblique bearing surfaces, and wherein the part of smaller diameter of said distributor core has transverse grooves adapted to abut against said oblique bearing surfaces.
 6. A mixing tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rotatable actuating means is a lever, and screws fixing the lever to said distributor core, said second rotatable actuating means comprising a knob having a radial bar abutting against said screws.
 7. In a mixing tap of the type comprising a first inlet pipe for hot water and a second inlet pipe for cold water, and a common outlet pipe, a mixing chamber, and control means including two similar closure members having polished surfaces in engagement with one another, each closure member having a central passage, said passages being In alignment with one another and in communication with the outlet pipe, and each closure member also having two peripheral passages, one of said peripheral passages of each closure member being for communication with the first inlet pipe and the other of said peripheral passages of each closure member for communication with the second inlet pipe, one of said closure members being rotatably mounted about the axis of its said central passage, and first rotatable actuating means for controlling the positioning of the said one of said closure members and thereby the mixture of hot and cold water, the improvement comprising: spigot means for controlling the rate of flow to the outlet pipe and disposed between the mixing chamber and said outlet pipe, and second rotatable actuating means for controlling the position of said spigot means and thereby the rate of flow of mixed water to the outlet pipe, the axis of rotation of the second actuating means coinciding with the axis of rotation of the first actuating means, the two peripheral passages of each closure member having polygonal outlets on at least one of the faces of said closure member, each of said outlets being delimited by two sides disposed along radial lines extending from the center of the central passage, one of said sides of each outlet passing through the center of the other outlet. 